Hopper



Oct. 30, 1923. 1,472,495

w. B. RUNK HOPPER Filed Oct. 14. 1922 2 sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORN EYS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented st. 30, 1923.

WILLIAM B. BUNK, or SHELTQN, connncr oti'r;jessrenon To THE WEIMANN BROTHERS MANUFACTURING coMrAnn-or-pnmair, connnorroc'r, A conrona- TION OF CONNECTICUT.

HOPPER.

Application filed October 14, 1922. Serial No. 594,527. a

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM B. BUNK, a citizen of the United States, residin at Shelton, county of F airfield, State of onnecticut, have invented an Improvement in Hoppers, of which the following is-a specification. I

This invention relates-to feed hoppers for automatically feeding clips and similar articles, and has for an object to provide an improved hopper which will be simple in construction and reliable and efiicient in operation, and one which will place the clips in proper position to be utilized by an automatic machine. 1 1

It is a further object to providea device of this character which will feed the clips at such a speed that there will always be'a clip in position to be utilized by the machine when required.

WVith the foregoing and other objectsin view I have devised the improved hopper illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the hopper.

F ig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, with a portion of the forward wall broken away to more clearly illustrate the interior construction.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal central transverse section through the hopper.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a chute for conveying the clips from the hopper, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form" of cli The hopper is supported by any suitable means, such as a bracket secured to any suitable supporting means as the frame of the machine with which the hopper is to. be employed. Secured to the bracket 10 is a stud or shaft 11 on which the hopper is mounted and in the specific construction disclosed the hopper comprises two sections 12 and 13, one of which, as for instance 12, is stationary on the stud, whilethe other 13 is rotatable thereon. 1 This rotating section is provided with a belt groove 14c to' receive a suitable driving belt 15, leading from any desirable or suitable source of power. The stud 11 is preferably constructed as illustrated in Fig. 3, enlarged intermediate its ends at 16, to form a bearing for the'rotatable section of the hopper, and reduced at one end of this enlarged portion to fit: the

bracket 10, as shown at 17, and at the other endat 18 to support the stationary section 12, there beingpreferably provided a collar 19 between the hub 20 of the rotating secof the hopper are preferably similar and substantially dish-shaped with their open sides opposed, with flanges 24c and 25 standing around the open sides, and the side walls being inclined, as shown at 26 and 27 so that'the clips contained within hopper will tend to move toward the center and bottom thereof. Between these side walls and the flanges, ,the walls are inclined at a more acute angle, as shown at 29 and 30 to provide a circumferential groove between the two sections of the hopper, into which the clips are of flat metal secured in recesses 33 in the flange 25, and are inclined to the radii of the hopper substantially as shown. The

free ends of thesefingers project into the groove formed by the inclined side walls 29and 30, and because of the inclined walls of this groove, the clips tend to assume a position longitudinally of this groove, as the fingers pass through the pile ofclips in the portion of the groove at the lower part of the hopper, the clips will be picked up by these fingers as indicated at 34 in Fig.2. As these clips are substantially zU-shaped in cross section, the chute comprises'preferably a bar tapered at its upper edge to substantially correspond to the shape of the clips, so that the clips will be readily retained thereon and slide down the same, as the chute is inclined. This chute extends from tion and the hub 21 of the stationary section and the parts being clamped together by suitable nuts 22 and 23. The two sections the hopper through an opening 35 in the wall 7 the chute. Within the hopper this chute comprises two spaced sections, the inner one being indicated at 37, and the other terminating at a distance from this section at substantially the point 38, leaving a gap 39 for 'a purpose presently to be described.

The inner section 37 extends from a point adjacent the free ends of the fingers 32 to the other side of this gap 39, and is so located that as the fingers pass by the end thereof the clips will slide off the fingers on to this section of the chute. In order to insure thatthe clips do not leave the fingers before they are in the proper position to pass to the chute a curved guard 40 is secured to the end of the section 37 adjacent the free ends of the fingers, as shown in Fig. 2.

As the clips are all similar they will, at times, become nested so that two or more clips will be picked up by a finger at the same time, and deposited upon the section 37 of the chute in this nested relation. In order to prevent clogging of the chute I have placed above the outer section of the chute, adjacent the end 38, a rotating toothed wheel 41 this wheel being placed above the top of the rail or chute a sufficient distance to allow free passage of a single clip along the chute, but should two clips attempt to pass in nested relation a tooth of the wheel will engage an end of the upper clip and push it off through the gap 39. This wheel is mount ed substantially, as shown in Fig. 3, on a shaft 42 mounted to rotate within the bearing 43 in the stationary section of the casing, and secured to the other end thereof is a tapered fibre driving wheel 44, the tapered surface of which has frictional en-- gagement With the runway 45 around the inner wall of the rotating section of hopper, this fibre wheel being held in engagement with this runway by means of a spring 46 set within the shaft 42 and reacting between this shaft and a ball 47, which in turn bears against an adjustable screw 48 threaded in the casing section and whereby the pressure of the roller 44 against the runway 45 may be adjusted.

The top of the chute adjacent the inner end 48 is preferably inclined downwardly somewhat, as shown at 49, to make sure that the clipin jumping across the gap 39 from the inner section 37 will not drop from the chute. The number of fingers 32 and the speed of the rotating section of the hopper are so determined that there is an overfeed, that is, the clips are deposited upon the inner section 37 faster than required by the machine with which the hopper is used to insure that the supply of clips is always ample to supply the demand of the machine. For this reason, means is provided to take care of the surplus clips. It will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 2 that, if the outer section 31 of the chute is filled with clips as shown, clips attempting to get onto this section from the inner section 37 will drop back through the gap 39 to the hopper.

I have provided in the front face of the stationary section of the hopper asuitable filling opening 50 which may be covered with any suitable cover. I have shown a cover comprising a frame 51 pivoted on the shaft 11 and closed by wire mesh screen 52, so that the supply of clips Within the hopper may be observed. Any suitable handle 53 may be provided to open and close this cover.

It Will be apparent from the foregoing description that the feed hopper is very simple in construction and not likely to be easily gotten out of order. Also that there is no danger of clogging but still there is always an over-supply of clips, so that the machine served by this hopper is always provided with clips as required.

Although the principles of my invention may be employed for feeding different types of articles the specific construction shown is especially designed for automatically feeding the sealing clips to a machine for closing and sealing filled collapsible tubes, such as is disclosed in the application of Ferdinand A. ,Weimann and myself filed of even date herewith.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention what I claim is: i

1. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips, a chute leading from the hopper and adapted to convey the clips therefrom, a plurality of fingers in the hopper arranged so that the clips may embrace one edge thereof, and means for bring ing the fingers into position to allow the clips to slide therefrom under the action of gravity to the chute.

2. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of clips, a chute adapted to convey said clips from the hopper, means for depositing the clips on said chute, a toothed wheel spaced above the chute a distance to allow one clip only at a time to pass between the same and the chute, and means to rotate said wheel with its lower side moving in the opposite direction from the direction of movement of the clips.

3. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips, a chute terminating within the hopper and adapted to convey the clips therefrom, a plurality of fingers adapted to pick up the clips one at a time, means for moving the fingers to a position where the clips may slide therefrom under the action of gravity to the chute, and means to retain the clips on the fingers until they reach said position.

4. In a hopper, a casing comprising two open sided sections mounted with their open sides opposed, one of said sections being rotatable relative to the other section, means for rotating said section, means for conveying clips from the casing, and means carried by the rotatable section for depositing clips on the conveying means.

5. In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of clips and comprising two sections one of which is stationary and'the other rotatable, means for rotating said latter section, means for conveying clips from the casing, and a plurality of fingers carried by the rotatable section arranged to pick up clips and deposit them on the conveying means.

6. In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips and comprising two sections one of which is stationary and the other rotatable, means for rotating the latter section, an inclined Chute leading from the interior of the casing and adapted to convey clips therefrom, and a plurality of fingers carried by the rotatable section in alignment with said chute and adapted to pick up the clips, bring them to a position in alignment with the chute and allow them to slide longitudinally under the action of gravity onto the chute.

7 In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips and comprising two sections one of which is stationary and the other rotatable, a chute adapted to convey clips from the hopper, a plurality of fingers carried by the rotatable section and adapted to deposit the clips on the chute, a rotatable toothed wheel above the chute a distance to allow one clip only to pass between the same at a time, and driving means for said wheel engaging the rotatable section of the casing.

8. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips, a chute leading from the hopper adapted to convey the clips therefrom and terminating within the hopper, a rotating element, a plurality of fingers carried by said element and adapted to be embraced by said clips, said fingers being so arranged that as the element rotates they are brought successively into longi tudinal alignment with said chute and to an inclined position to allow the clips to slide under the action of gravity from the fingers onto the chute.

9. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of clips, a chute leadin from the hopper adapted to convey the clips therefrom, a plurality of fingers in the hopper adapted to pick up the clips one at a time, means for successively bringing the fingers intoalign ment with the chute and to an inclined position to allow the clips to slide from the fingers onto the chute, and a stationary guide at the discharge end of the fingers to retain the clips on the fingers until they reach this position.

10. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips, an inclined chute leading from said hopper comprising a bar adapted to be embraced by said clips and convey them from the hopper, a plurality of fingers within the hopper adapted to be embraced by said clips, and means for bringing the fingers successively into alignment with the chute to deposit the clips thereon, said chute being provided with a gap within the hopper below the point where the clips are deposited thereon to allow discharge of the clips into the hopper should the chute be filled.

11. A hopper adapted to hold a supply of clips, an inclined chute leading from the hopper adapted to convey the clips therefrom, said chute being provided with a gap therein, means for depositing the clips on the chute above the gap, and means below the gap for discharging the upper clip through said gap should clips be deposited on the chute in superimposed relation.

12. In a hopper,a casing adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips and comprising two open sided sections mounted with their open sides opposed, one of said sections being stationary and the other rotatable, means for rotating said latter section, a chute leading from the hopper adapted to convey clips therefrom and terminating within the hopper, a plurality of fingers carried by the rotatable section adapted to be embraced by said clips, said fingers being so positioned on the section that as the section is rotated they are brought successively into longitudinal alignment with the chute and to an inclined position to allow the clips to slide under the action of gravity from the fingers onto the V chute.

13. In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of clips and comprising two open sided sections mounted with their open sides opposed, the inner walls of the sections being inclined outwardly toward said open sides to provide a substantially V-shaped peripheral groove, a chute leading from said hopper to conduct the clips therefrom, means for rotating one of said sections, and a plurality of fingers carried by said r0- tatable section in the groove so positioned as to be brought successively into alignment with the chute and deposit clips thereon.

14. In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of clips and comprising two open sided sections mounted with their open sides opposed, one of said sections being rotatable and the other stationary, means for rotating the rotatable section, the inner walls of said sections being inclined outwardly toward said open sides to a position spaced therefrom and then inclined outwardly at a greater angle to provide a substantially V- shaped peripheral groove, a chute leading from said. hopper to conduct clips therefrom, and means carried by the rotatable section in said groove adapted as the section rotates to pick up the individual clips and deposit them on the chute.

15. In a hopper, a casing adapted to hold a supply of substantially U-shaped clips and comprising two open sided sections mounted with their open sides opposed, one of said sections being rotatable and the other stationary, the inner Walls of said sections being inclined outwardly toward said open sides to provide a substantially V-ShZLPQd. peripheral groove, a chute leading from said hopper adapted to conduct clips therefrom, means for rotating said rotatable section, and a plurality of fingers carried by said 10 rotatable section in said groove adapted to with the chute and to an inclined position i to allow the clips to slide therefrom onto the chute.

ture.

WILLIAM B. BUNK.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signa- 

